


Festival

by NanakiBH



Category: Tales of Xillia, Tales of the World: Reve Unitia
Genre: Blow Jobs, Cat/Human Hybrids, Come Eating, Crossover, Dirty Talk, Fingerfucking, Holding Hands, Impregnation, Incest, Kissing, Lewdger, Licking, Love Confessions, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Possessive Behavior, Rebirth, Rimming, Ship Cameos, Yandere
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-28
Updated: 2015-05-28
Packaged: 2018-04-01 17:57:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4029295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanakiBH/pseuds/NanakiBH
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The voices of old friends call out to them, offering a new beginning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Festival

**Author's Note:**

> Even if you haven't played Reve Unitia, I don't think you'll have any trouble reading this. I was pretty thorough and made sure to contextualize any references I made to it. If you aren't familiar with some of the characters I mention, just give 'em a google. They're all from other Tales games and appeared in Reve Unitia.

His words from that day echoed back to him like a distant memory.

_“Someday... It would be nice if we met again.”_

Feeling like it had been forever, feeling like it was only yesterday, he opened his eyes and saw the night sky's glittering map of stars above him. As his awareness returned to him, someone appeared above him, a girl with fair hair, her smile warm and relieved. Slowly, he realized that he was being held by someone, supported by a pair of strong arms. Turning his head slightly, he found another familiar face looking down at him, though his overflowing emotion felt like a big change compared to the rigid features he remembered.

“Julius... You're awake,” the girl said, sighing in relief. “Looks like we meet again!”

“Marta...” he said, her name coming to his lips on its own. He turned to the other, recalling that unusual blue hair he'd never seen anywhere else. “Nahato.”

Smiling, Nahato put an arm under his and helped him onto a bench nearby. It looked like they were back in the Lufres village. Night had descended, but there were many people around the village center, gathered around the tree that stood proudly in the middle of their small town. They were all people he recognized. Some of them were a little different now; changed by their experiences, grown. His eyes moved from one face to another, remembering them each with a strange sense of nostalgia, like uncovering an old photograph covered in dust. There was Yuri, Luke, Presea...

They were all alright.

And so was this place. It was still okay.

With the way everyone was laughing and reminiscing, he couldn't imagine that they had been summoned to protect the world of Revalia again. Around the village, there were lanterns hanging from awnings, stands with food and games lining the roads, and some of his old companions were wearing yukatas with a pattern conspicuously shaped like Lufres – or cats. Julius felt the heat of jealousy rise within him when he noticed their cute design.

They were having some sort of festival. He could tell that much without even having to ask, but...

“Is... Is Ludger not coming this time?”

He remembered. Though he couldn't say how long it had been, he remembered giving his life so that his brother could reach the Land of Canaan. Following the moment he closed his eyes, it was hard to say what had happened. Ludger must have succeeded. He had given him everything to ensure that Ludger would be able to succeed, so, surely, he must have. His brother was strong.

But if they met now...

“Ludger? He's right over there,” Marta said, helpfully pointing toward the tree.

Though his feet were unsteady, Julius rose and moved toward where she pointed, moving as though compelled by an uncontrollable force. He wanted to see him badly, to apologize to him, to tell him that he missed him. Even if he couldn't remember anything between then and now, he was met with an overwhelming loneliness when he realized that Ludger was right around that tree. But time hadn't stopped for Ludger, he was sure. He must have continued his life, protecting that girl. He'd probably found a way. He and Elle and Rollo...

The thought of them being happy without him made him feel weak, but he only prayed that he was right.

Ludger didn't look any different from when he last saw him. Terun, who had been hovering over Ludger nervously in his dream form, moved aside as Julius came closer. As if he could sense his presence, his brother's eyelashes fluttered. Tiredly, he rolled his head back and looked up at him blearily, making a cute face as he rubbed at his eyes.

“Brother...?”

Unless he also remembered the world of Revalia, this was going to be difficult for Julius to explain. In a way, he hoped that things could be like last time. He hoped that Ludger didn't remember anything that happened in their own world. That way, they could enjoy this moment together and Ludger could return to his normal life without having to remember the pain of losing him again.

Now that he was like this, he was sure that he couldn't go back with him. It was by some kind of miracle that he was even allowed to return to Revalia.

“Ah-” The dreaded recognition appeared on Ludger's face. “Is this the Spirit World?”

Terun floated back over and rested on Ludger's bent knee. “You're in Revalia! Welcome back, Ludger!”

“So you remember what happened to me, after all,” Julius sighed to himself, sinking down to sit beside him. “Well. I suppose this means we have a way to see each other again. It can't be that bad, can it?”

Ludger was staring at him strangely, like there was something he had to say that he was having trouble saying. He looked away, his brows drawn together in concern. “Well, you see,” he began, gesturing with a hand vaguely in the air. Terun and Julius both tilted their heads. Nahato and Marta joined and waited with them curiously, mounting even more pressure on Ludger, making it more difficult for him to speak. “Th-the thing is...”

“That's right. You must be wondering the same thing,” Nahato said suddenly. Everyone turned toward him, unsure of what he was talking about. “It appears that you both lost your physical form in your home world. That's quite alright. As long as there are others dreaming of you, you can always find a home here in Revalia. Unless you'd prefer to return to the void, you don't have to leave us this time. This may sound selfish of me, but I'd very much enjoy if you'd stay. Your presence is welcome here, Awoken Ones.”

In a shower of light, Terun transformed back into his human-like form and went to stand next to Nahato, timidly holding on to his arm as he looked down at Julius and Ludger. “I knew that I sensed something different about you... I'm very sorry that you had to die. I hope it wasn't painful.”

“D-died?” Marta exclaimed, jolting back. “You two _died?_ What happened? Julius, you were so strong and cool the last time we saw you!”

That was an odd way to deliver a compliment, but it made Julius laugh a little anyway. “'Cool', huh? I suppose that even cool guys can't avoid death.” Marta's comment shot him through the heart for a second there, but, once he recovered, his concern went right back to what Nahato had said. “More importantly, Nahato, what was that you were just saying? As much as it kills me to say it, I'm the only dead one here.”

“Brother, that pun was terrible,” Ludger said, giving him a light slap on the arm for his bad joke.

Nahato looked between them, stroking his chin thoughtfully. When it appeared that he figured it out, he nodded to himself. “I see. You must have gone first.”

_Gone first?_

Julius turned to Ludger who gave him a nervous laugh.

“D-don't look at me like that, alright? I did what I had to do. If you got to see it, I'm sure you would've been really proud of how I pulled it off. If I hadn't chosen to become a divergence catalyst then I wouldn't have been able to save our Elle. I just remember thinking to myself, 'what would my brother do?' I thought about our last moments together, and it gave me the strength to make that choice.”

Clasping her hands together over her chest, Marta gazed at Ludger with an impressed sparkle in her eyes. “Ludger became the cool one!”

That wasn't anything like what Julius expected. He'd hoped that using himself as the soul bridge would've given Ludger a clear path. He knew that things would be difficult for them when they reached Canaan, but he thought for sure that Ludger would find a way to make it out with the rest of them, even if he were desperate to keep Elle in their world.

He shook his head sadly. “I failed to protect you... Really, what a terrible brother I was.”

Two arms suddenly wrapped around him and pulled him in close. “Don't say that. It's because of you that we were able to carry on. Our world is safe now because of what you did. And I...” His words halted and Ludger was quiet. He pressed his forehead to Julius's shoulder, and Julius didn't need to ask what he meant, understanding the depth of his feelings. Having to let him go had absolutely torn Ludger apart, and knowing that he'd left him that way tore Julius into even smaller pieces. He'd done the best that he could, but leaving him alone was his biggest regret.

Julius could feel the pain in the trembling arms that held him.

The smile on Marta's face slowly fell as the mood around them became thicker. She shuffled her feet awkwardly. “I don't know what happened in your world, but I'm sorry that things had to end that way. It sounds like you both had to make some very difficult decisions.”

For some reason, it looked like she was able to relate to what they went through. She wasn't quite the same carefree girl who Julius remembered from last time. Her clear eyes were darkened with a certain sort of knowledge that was only gotten through sacrifice. The choices might not have been her own, but Julius could tell that she'd seen things that had changed her.

But she was alright. She was alive. She could return to the people in her world who needed her.

When he looked at her, he couldn't help but imagine what Elle would be like in a few years – if she would have that same look in her eyes.

A wave of grief threatened him when he thought about how they weren't even able to preserve the innocence of one little girl. “Who's going to take care of Elle now? Without either of us there...”

“She has Rollo,” Ludger said, his face straight.

Julius wailed. “Rollo can't even take care of himself! Now I'm worried about both of them!”

“They're going to be fine,” someone said.

Julius and Ludger both looked up at the sound of another familiar voice, and their eyes widened when they realized who had joined them.

“M-Milla?” Ludger stammered.

Beside them now, wearing a flattering kimono, was Milla, and next to her, in a light blue yukata, was Jude who looked equally surprised to see Ludger. “What are you two doing here? I thought that you both... No, I'm sure that you died. Milla, what's going on here?”

She shrugged, lifting her hands into the air with a shake of her head like she didn't have the patience for these silly mortal questions. With an elegant flip of her hair, she turned around, her eyes closed. “'Dead' is such a subjective term. Just because they stopped living in our world doesn't mean that they cease to exist. Goodbye is never really the end. You know that, Jude.”

She really caught him there. Jude stared at her back, his mouth slightly agape, likely thinking back to the long time he spent without her. She may not have been there beside them in person, but Milla had always been watching over them from afar; somewhere just outside their reach. Her return forced the other Milla out of their world, but perhaps there was even hope to be found for the Milla from another dimension. Not too long ago, Julius would've been skeptical about this sort of thing, but now anything sounded possible.

The way that Jude looked at her, his gaze lit with fondness, reminded Julius of the way he felt when he saw Ludger.

He was glad that goodbye hadn't been the end.

“Hey,” Julius said, drawing Jude's attention. “If you remember everything when you get back... Try to let Elle know that we're both doing well.”

“Speak for yourself, brother,” Ludger said playfully, carefully untangling them. He giggled to himself, and Julius felt his heart about to burst. “Just kidding. I think I'm alright. Being 'dead' doesn't seem that different from being 'alive'. We might not be able to come back to our world, but maybe she can see us again here someday or in another world. I'll be looking forward to that.” Remembering something else, he felt the need to add, “And tell her to put Rollo on a diet.”

“W-what? No, don't tell her that!” Julius interjected.

Ludger narrowed his eyes at him, giving him a serious look. “Come on, he's going to have a heart attack if she feeds him as much as you did.” He narrowed his eyes further. “Unless that's your plan; have Rollo die so he can join us here.”

Julius innocently looked away. “That isn't what I was thinking at all. I just want Rollo to be happy. It would be cruel to deprive him of Kitty Krisps.”

They were just making things more difficult for Jude, but he laughed lightheartedly like he didn't mind at all. It must have been weird and kind of fun for him to see them again, so that was probably all he was thinking about. “I'll tell her all of that, how about that? I bet you'll have a lot more to tell her the next time you see her. Start writing everything down. I'd love to come back and hear about the adventures you two have here.”

It was sad that they weren't going to be able to return to the world they came from, but it felt reassuring to hear Jude talk like that, like this was just the beginning of a new journey away from home. Things could certainly be worse, Julius thought to himself as he looked at the one sitting beside him under the tree. It still pained him that he hadn't been able to save him, that Ludger couldn't continue his life in their world, but there was a part of him that was happy to have him with him, even if it had come at such a cost.

Before she began walking away, Milla looked over her shoulder and offered them a confident smile. “Take care of each other,” she said.

“You guys should get changed and enjoy the festival,” Jude suggested, already stepping away to join Milla. “See you again!”

That's right – there was a festival happening. Seeing Ludger again had surprised Julius so much that it made him forget about everything else. As he looked around, he realized that almost everyone else had changed into something more comfortable for the occasion now.

Having been summoned successfully this time, everyone retained their memories from their last visit as well as the memories of their own worlds. Before, even the people they would have already known felt like strangers, but Julius remembered feeling a suspicious familiarity around Ludger when they'd encountered him. He'd looked wild and frightened, possessed by the power of the Vule, the manifestation of the darkness that lurked in the hearts of Revalia's people. At the time, he didn't even know who Ludger was, but there had been something inside of him that told him that he needed to protect him.

Ludger hadn't remembered him either, but they shared the same last name, so they knew that they had to be connected. Remembering their adventure to save Revalia from the Vule and Raafu brought an unexpected smile to Julius's face, reminding him of what it had been like to fight alongside him. If only things could have been different in their world... He could only imagine. Instead, he'd been forced to lie and hide things from him. Though he would've preferred to keep Ludger as far from danger as possible, he'd been the one to draw him into it.

“Brother.”

Realizing that he'd lost himself to his thoughts again, he looked up at Ludger.

“Come on,” Ludger said. Standing up, he grabbed one of Julius's hands and pulled him up along with him. “There are a lot of things on my mind right now too, but I think we should try to enjoy ourselves. The Lufres were kind enough to summon us for their festival, so we shouldn't waste the night worrying about ourselves.”

Marta wasn't the only one who'd changed. The second he took his eyes off him, Ludger had grown up.

Glad to see their happy reunion, Marta wished them a good evening and ran off. They watched her as she returned to Emil who had been silently waiting for her.

“Now, if you'd follow me,” Nahato said shortly. He was already walking away, giving them little choice but to follow. Terun also hopped along, keeping his gaze on Julius and Ludger as they walked across the plaza, his eyes wide and curious. Julius recalled Nahato's determination to protect that little one, his tiny successor. Even if he hadn't had any of his memories back then, Julius felt like he was able to relate to the way Nahato felt. Now, he was sure of it. The way Nahato felt about Terun was the same way he felt about Ludger when they were younger.

When Nahato had been overwhelmed by the power of the Vule, his mind under its wicked spell, Julius had reminded him that there was someone who needed him. He told him that sacrificing himself wasn't going to be the way to protect him, that he needed to be there for Terun.

Julius wished that he'd been able to remember his own advice, but he bitterly accepted that it wouldn't have mattered at the point he was turning into a catalyst anyway. His sacrifice was unavoidable.

He'd be more than glad to stay in this world to help Nahato protect what was precious to him. It was the least he could do to show him his thanks for teaching him such an important lesson. This would be his opportunity to practice what he preached.

They were led to an inn that didn't look all that different from the ones back home. Unsurprisingly, it was run by more of the unusually charming Lufres people. The one behind the reception counter looked up when they entered, their ears twitching, excited to see that a new pair of Awoken Ones had arrived.

As Nahato went up to them to make arrangements, Ludger moved closer to Julius and got on his toes to whisper near his ear. “Everyone here is so cute.”

Beaming, Julius nodded emphatically. “A world full of people who look like cats... I think I can get used to this,” he whispered back. “You'd look so cute with ears and a tail like theirs.”

“W-where'd that come from?” Ludger stuttered, putting his hands on top of his head as if he were protecting his head from sprouting a pair of cat ears.

“Hm? You don't agree?” he teased. The thought just came to him, and it was impossible to ignore it. If they couldn't return to their world, he was going to have to find Ludger a replacement for that cute Rollo-style hooded sweatshirt he'd bought for him. That one had been his favorite.

Terun was still looking at them in that mysterious way. He was just a child by Lufres standards, but sometimes it seemed like there were things that only he could understand, things that were impossible for 'adults' like them to get. Prancing around them, he looked at Ludger's behind before giving him a little pat that made Ludger yelp and grab his backside. “I agree! You'll look good with a tail!”

The receptionist handed Nahato a room key, and he gestured for them to follow. They went down a short hallway with a wooden floor, took a turn, and walked down a somewhat longer, open-air hallway with a spectacular view of the pond and garden behind the inn. It was more like a patio than a hallway; some of the inn's occupants sitting at the edge, eating delightful-looking things they must have picked up from the stands in town. The festival was bound to be exciting, but Julius looked forward to enjoying some quiet time near that pond. After everything they'd been through, he could really use some time to relax.

Nahato stopped outside a door toward the end of the hall. Julius assumed that the other rooms they'd passed were being used by their friends from other worlds. As they stood there, he spied Lloyd and Zelos exiting one of the rooms in their new yukatas, Lloyd red in the face and yelling at Zelos who wore a grin that was just as cheeky as Julius remembered. At least some people didn't change.

Before they entered, another Lufres came by, wheeling a cart. They stopped near them and pulled back the flap on the side to select a pair of yukatas from its contents. Just as Julius had hoped, they had that adorable pattern he'd seen on the ones worn by the others, but he tried to not let his excitement show.

The one with the cart sped off after handing them their new clothes, and Terun and Nahato stepped back to allow them into the room.

“You should take this,” Nahato said, handing Julius the key. “The entire town takes part in the festival, so you should find yourself a part of it the moment you step back outside. I hope you enjoy yourselves.” A rare smile. “It's good to see you again, old friend.”

It couldn't have been that long since they saw each other. Terun had barely grown, but Nahato looked at him and Ludger like he hadn't seen them in years. Maybe he'd been worried that they wouldn't remember their time in Revalia, even after the promise that he and the other Awoken Ones had made.

“Yes. There's no better place for us than Revalia now. It's good to be here,” Julius said, bowing his head in appreciation.

Realizing that he should also show his thanks, Ludger respectfully bowed his head. “Thank you.”

And then they left, their tails wagging behind them happily, Terun attached to Nahato's arm like a faithful puppy. Or... kitten.

With no further ado, he and Ludger entered the room, carrying their new clothes. Inside, there were some lamps already lit to guide them through the dark room. They must have really been hurting for rooms or hadn't had the foresight to offer them an extra futon because there was only one bed in the otherwise very spacious room. Its placement, fixed in the center of the room, made it feel like it was meant to be the main attraction. Surely, one normally took a room at an inn to rest, but what had Nahato had in mind when he selected this room for them? Did they really have no other options?

Ludger went to the bed and sat down like he was staking his claim on it. “Looks like we've got a dilemma on our hands here – unless you don't mind sharing?”

“Mind?” Coming closer, Julius set his clothes on the bed and leaned over him, dipping his head, bringing their faces within a breath of each other. Without even doing anything, he could see the way that his proximity affected Ludger, his ears turning a bright tomato red. “I don't think it's been that long since we've seen each other. Much couldn't have changed in that amount of time.” Part of him still hesitated to be the one to initiate, but Ludger's permission was written on his face. Placing his hands on Ludger's knees, he leaned in that final inch and softly placed their lips together.

He could feel Ludger's breath against his own; a little sad, regretful. Their kiss turned into something fierce and desperate the longer they let their lips linger against each other, expressing something they hadn't been able to put into words just yet. Ludger's arms found their way around his shoulders, and Julius somehow ended up leaning over him with both knees on the bed, but the second it started to feel like they were nearing a dangerous territory, Julius pulled back, putting his hands on Ludger's shoulders to keep him from chasing his lips.

“If we start this now...”

Ludger only had to think for a second to understand where he was taking it. “Y-yeah. If we keep going like this, we're going to miss the festival.” With a timid flush of pink still in his cheeks, he idly ran a hand over the soft top cover and looked around the room. It looked like he was just trying to avoid eye-contact at first, but his interest in the room grew as he inspected it. “Hey, do you think that Nahato realizes that we're brothers? It should've been really obvious since we had the same last names, but I'm not sure we even realized that we were related the last time we were here.”

“He had to have known.” He just had to. They had a lot of things in common, but Julius refused to believe that Nahato could be that dense. “It may sound presumptuous of me to say so, but I think he understands us.”

Waving his hands wildly, Ludger backed up, shocked by the suggestion. “Wait a minute! No normal person would assume that there's anything going on here! W-we aren't _that_ obvious, are we?”

“We're dead, Ludger. I hardly think that now's the time to start worrying about what people think of us.”

“...I don't think I like being reminded of that, but you have a point.”

“How to put it...” Julius climbed off the bed and tapped his foot on the floor. “I think he understands because of his own relationship with Terun.” Before Ludger could even open his mouth, he held up a hand, amused by his predictable reaction. “I know, I know. You were going to say, 'but Terun is just a little kid,' weren't you? Must I remind you that I'm eight years older than you? Must I also remind you of how old you were when you-”

Shooting off the bed, Ludger put his hands over Julius's mouth to stop him before he could bring up that embarrassing memory. “I got it, brother! You don't have to rub it in.”

Chuckling, he brought Ludger's hands away and held them instead. “Does it still bother you that much? It's a rather fond memory for me. You were so cute and inexperienced...”

Ludger looked like he couldn't decide whether he wanted to keep their hands joined or if he wanted to wrench them away and yell at him for teasing him. He was easily embarrassed, but Julius knew that he enjoyed his big brother's teasing. It had been a while since they were able to reminisce about anything, so it was... nice. When Ludger failed to respond, they fell into a comfortable silence, Ludger lightly squeezing his hands back.

“Let's get ready,” Ludger said at last, reluctantly pulling away. “You can hold my hand all night if you want, but I'm going to need them right now. Get undressed and I'll help you put on your yukata, too.”

Abandoning some of his insecurity around him, Ludger undressed quietly, stripping down to his pink shorts. Stealing a look at his brother's clean, unblemished skin, Julius couldn't help but feel glad that he'd been spared from a future like Victor's. In comparison, he hesitated to take off his own clothing. There were many layers, but his fingers shook when he reached the buttons of his shirt, worried of what he might find underneath. He assumed that this body would be slightly different from the one he ended his last life in, but he doubted that it could be that much different.

As he feared, his scars remained; souvenirs from each fractured dimension he laid waste to. He might have become Spirius's Crown agent, but there had always been one or two blows in each dimension that his soft heart was unable to avoid.

Gentle fingers traced the scars on his chest, ran along his ribs, over his shoulders, Ludger's eyes traveling from one imperfection to the next.

“I would've protected you,” he said. He didn't add anything further, but Julius knew what he really meant to say. Ludger would have cut down anyone who dared to touch him. He'd spent the majority of his life hiding Ludger from Spirius's eyes to keep him from becoming that sort of person, but it seemed that he'd failed. Perhaps it was just inevitable. Like Victor, maybe there was a part of Ludger that had always been destined to become so fiercely protective of his family.

He tried to protect him, and now Ludger was the one telling him something like that.

Victor may have become twisted by his desire to protect his life with Elle, but Julius felt confident that Ludger would never lose the light in his heart as long as he still had the people he loved. This time, Julius was going to have to work just as hard to protect himself – for the both of them.

He pulled him in for a quick, tight squeeze. “Any new scars will be earned together. I still hate the thought of letting you fight, but I know I can't stop you from joining me this time. At least we'll be able to fight side-by-side. I won't let you out of my sight.”

“Fighting, huh?” Ludger leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek before returning to the bed for his yukata. “I leaned a ton of ways to make money as I paid off that ridiculous debt, you know. But if you plan on fighting the Vule as a Dream Keeper, then I have no choice but to join you.” Slipping his arms into the loose garment, checking the fit at the front, he smiled softly to himself. “I really loved fighting alongside you last time we were here. I may not have known who you were to me, but I felt an incredible sense of companionship between us.”

“You're right.” It hurt to think about it, in a way. “We were at our best when we were fighting together, weren't we?”

That look remained on Ludger's face. “Yeah, but... I'd be happy just taking care of you if you'd let me.”

That'd be nice. Honestly, that sounded very nice. “Maybe for a while. But I don't think we should sit still forever, taking it easy just because we're-” He had to stop himself this time and struggled momentarily to find a new way to say what he meant. “You did very well, but I don't feel like my dues have been paid yet. I thought that I was helping by destroying all of those fractured dimensions, but I went about everything the wrong way. I want to really help people this time. I want to rest, but I don't think I'll be able to until I feel satisfied with the work I've done.”

When Ludger finished tying the second sash around his waist, his hands paused and he looked at the floor. “You weren't satisfied with the way things ended in our world?”

It was a strange feeling. Never in his life had he expected that he would have to explain his dying regrets after the fact. Admitting that there were things he regretted at this point felt... disrespectful.

“I think I did as well as I could in the end, considering all the mistakes I'd made leading up to that.”

“Brother...”

“A second chance means a second opportunity to be a better person,” he said. Placing two fingers beneath Ludger's chin, he tilted his chin up to make him look at him, hoping that he could see what he felt. “Will you help me?”

They were just simple words, but it looked like enough to bring Ludger close to tears. He smiled so happily, like that was the one thing he'd waited his whole life to hear him say.

“I'm going to have to get a new hammer,” he said, smile turning to a grin.

It wouldn't be hard to find a shop that could make dual-wielded blades for them, but he had to wonder if Revalia even had firearms. Ludger might find pistols hard to come by here. But if he were satisfied with a simple hammer, then that was fine. Once Julius made enough for it, commissioning a pair of matching blades for them sounded like a fine present; something that Ludger would really enjoy. He was going to have to keep that idea in mind.

“That reminds me,” Ludger said, coming closer to help him remove the rest of his clothing without making a fuss about it. “I still have something of yours. I-I made sure to keep it safe.”

Once Ludger had his belt undone for him, Julius stepped out of his pants and tossed them on the bed. It took him only a second to figure out what he was talking about. It wasn't in his pocket anymore. In one of his final memories, he recalled giving it to Ludger.

“You still have it?” he asked, surprised that it would have managed to cross over with them.

Ludger opened the pouch he removed and pulled out his badly damaged pocket watch. When Julius's eyes fell upon it, he felt his heart freeze. He really didn't feel like seeing that thing again, especially now. It'd been foolish of him to think that they were free from its curse.

“I haven't opened it yet, actually,” Ludger said, trying to inject some humor into his voice to keep himself from sounding as nervous as he felt. Glancing at Julius first for permission, seeing him nod, he pressed his thumb into the release and it opened.

There it was; their confirmation.

Despite himself, Julius put his hand over his chest just to feel his heart beating.

“I guess we really... did die,” Ludger said slowly. He closed the silent watch and carefully placed it on the stand next to the bed. “You won't try to use it, will you?”

“Will it even still work?” he wondered. “It's time to let it rest. Or destroy it. We already know that its power isn't necessary in this world. We fought without using them last time. And what about yours? Isn't it with you?”

“I gave mine to Elle,” he said. “She must still have it. That's... It's for the best.”

There wasn't any point in worrying about things like that now. Their watches were too much trouble. Fortunately, their past experience in Revalia had shown them that they could handle the local beasts without the watches. Their artes had been enough. As long as he didn't carry it with him, he wouldn't be tempted to use its power.

“Without the Chromatus, we're just normal people,” Julius mused as he unfolded his yukata. “Without it, it doesn't really matter who we are. Sounds good, if you ask me. I'd rather just be... Julius. Your brother.” He slipped it on. Before he could even start fumbling with the front, Ludger was already helping him adjust it, his delicate hands sliding around his waist to secure the sashes. Looking up at him, Ludger tested the tightness, and Julius gave him the OK – just right.

All that remained were their obi. Once the look was complete for both of them, Ludger turned around in place to let him have a look at him. He looked precious. A moment like this made Julius wish that he had his GHS to take a picture to remember it by, but neither of them had their phones, for whatever reason. The Lufres summoning must have treated his watch as a part of him and brought it along by coincidence.

Ludger found the sandals that were arranged for them by the door. After folding their clothes and having another quick look around their room, they locked the door behind them and went out to join the festivities.

When Julius tried to remember what occurred between his death and the current moment, it wasn't as dark as he expected it to be. The void should have been as black and as empty as the darkest night, but, when he thought about it, he could've sworn that he remembered a light and a warmth. It never really felt like Ludger had left him, and that feeling started to make more sense as he realized that Ludger must not have left their world long after he departed it himself. The festival lights were so bright they hurt his eyes, but they weren't as bright as the light he recalled.

Looking at Ludger's innocently curious face, he realized that the light he remembered must have been his.

When Ludger caught him staring, he gave him a look and grabbed his hand and pulled him into the village with him, heading toward the road crowded with the most people. It felt too soon to be holding hands already, but no one looked at them strangely for it. It made Julius feel a little embarrassed, but he found it hard to mind too much when it was obvious how much it meant to Ludger just to be able to hold his hand, to touch him, to have him again. He flexed his fingers against the back of Ludger's hand, holding it more tightly, thinking about how glad he was to have him, as well.

They didn't have any money, but that didn't seem to be a problem. The Lufres were still very appreciative to the Awoken Ones for their help. They must have been trying to think of a way to repay them this whole time, and what better way to thank them than with a party?

There were so many places to go, so many things to look at that it was hard to decide where they should go first. Julius found himself being tugged in one direction then another each time Ludger saw something else that interested him – which was frequently. The best he could do was laugh and let him take him wherever he wanted, pleased to be the one being led around for a change.

Spotting something from afar, Ludger gripped his hand and squeezed his way through the crowd with him until they were standing in front of a certain small booth. Next to them, Julius noticed a few old comrades, but they weren't what had interested Ludger. His brother gave his hand a couple tugs and pointed up at the prize he wanted; an over-stuffed plush cat that bore a striking resemblance to Rollo.

Next to them, shouldering a toy rifle, Yuri aimed at a small, paper target hanging at the back of the booth. Beside him stood Flynn who appeared to be just as concentrated on Yuri's shot as Yuri himself. Clearly, they were trying to win one of the prizes that the booth was offering, but Estelle was giving the booth's attendant a bemused look that said that she hadn't asked them to do this for her.

Yuri took his shot – and missed.

“Shit. Is my aim really that bad? Aren't you supposed to play this game with darts? I'm great at darts,” he mumbled, half-excuse, half-hoping that the attendant would take pity on him and hand over a prize anyway.

Flynn elbowed him in the side and turned around. “Best to accept defeat gracefully before you make yourself look like a fool.”

“Hey, this wasn't my idea!” Yuri barked defensively.

Apparently it had been Flynn's, if his red face were any indication. Muttering to himself, he wandered off on his own. If he remembered him well enough, then Julius knew that he'd be back sooner or later. The two who were left decided that they would stay to watch them play. Julius didn't realize that he'd signed up for anything until he looked next to him and noticed Ludger's expectant face. Yuri handed him the rifle with a grin and leaned on the booth counter (to the attendant's chagrin) and looked at him like he was waiting for a show.

Well, as long as the gun wasn't rigged...

He wasn't used to anything of this size, but it wasn't like it was that different from aiming with any other gun. Lining up the shot, he dragged his tongue over his upper lip and focused. The others fell silent, but a cheer erupted almost immediately after his shot was made. The paper target tore from the clips it was hung by with the force of the shot and fluttered to the ground, a hole successfully blown through the center of it.

No big deal. Pretty easy.

“You sure I can't try again now, old man?” Yuri asked, getting up in the attendant's face, pleading with them. “If it was so easy for him then-”

The attendant just groaned and went to retrieve the fallen target.

Because they weren't paying, their prizes were decided by their accuracy. A bull's eye on his first try meant that he could have his pick of any prize, so he pointed to the stuffed cat that Ludger'd had his eye on.

“Why'd you want me to do it? You could've done just as well on your own,” Julius asked him, holding out the plush cat.

Ludger batted his lashes, giving him a mischievous grin. “I just wanted to watch my big brother win a prize for me. That's the real prize here.” Rather than take the cat from him, he moved over and held his hand out to the attendant. “Now it's my turn.”

“Aw dammit, you're gonna make me look bad now too, aren't you?” Yuri grumbled. Estelle giggled and gave him a supportive pat on the shoulder.

While Julius didn't know what Ludger planned to do with two stuffed cats, he kept quiet and watched as he raised the toy gun. The air around him seemed to change as he focused, becoming more tense, charged with electricity as his eyes narrowed, aligning himself with the target. Julius couldn't be sure he'd even seen such focus in him when they'd fought each other. It made him wonder whether he looked the same way when he had taken aim at the target. He felt calm, sure of his shot, but Ludger was staring it down like he intended to take it down without even laying his finger on the trigger.

His shot just barely missed the bull's eye, but it tore the paper from the clips all the same.

Straightening up, he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, and he suddenly seemed like his usual self again. “I think I tried too hard,” he said and turned back to him. “My brother is still the best.”

Unable to resist, Julius lifted his gloved hand and patted his brother's head, lightly ruffling his hair.

The attendant let Ludger choose from a different set of prizes, and Ludger decisively pointed to a purple stuffed dog. It was smaller than the cat plush that looked like Rollo, but it was still a decent size. Julius was surprised that Ludger would choose a dog over the other cat prizes and was about to question how much he understood his brother before Ludger went and handed the prize to Estelle.

“Don't tell Flynn,” he said. “Just let him think that Yuri got it.”

“Yuri did what?”

The four jumped at the sound of Flynn's voice. Hugging the plush to her chest, Estelle stepped back to allow Flynn closer. A conflict raged within her over whether she should play along or tell the truth, and she ultimately settled for something in between. “This is... Uh... The prize! We won the prize! Isn't it cute?”

Flynn seemed skeptical, but still agreed. “It is. It looks like someone we know, doesn't it?” he said.

They knew someone who looked like that stuffed dog...?

Yuri and Estelle laughed together, relieved that Flynn wasn't questioning how they obtained the prize.

“You can stop pretending,” Flynn told them. They immediately stopped laughing, and he turned to Ludger. “You were the one who got it for them, weren't you? Please, don't encourage these two. Yuri's a bad enough influence on her as it is.”

“Hey, he was just being nice,” Yuri said, ready to defend him.

For a second, Julius was worried that he was going to have to break up a fight, but then Flynn lifted a hand, handing Yuri what he brought with him; a golden-colored drink in a tall, thin glass. He had another one, presumably for himself, and a blue drink with fruit and a lot of ice that he handed to Estelle. “I agreed that it was cute, didn't I? I appreciate it,” he said, staring at Yuri, his words meant for Ludger. “I just don't want to see you dragging anyone else into your nonsense.”

Yuri smirked, lifting his drink to his eyes to look at the bright red cherry that rested like a pearl at the bottom of the glass. “This looks like something fun. Looks like you wanna start some nonsense of your own.”

“I've got no idea what you're talking about,” Flynn said mysteriously, taking a sip from his own drink. Giving the brothers a parting salute, he left, the other two following him with their individual brands of exasperation.

Once they were well out of sight, Julius let himself release the sigh he'd been holding. “I really wonder what goes on in those other worlds.”

Hugging his new stuffed cat under one arm, Ludger took Julius's hand again and made him start walking with him. “At least they seem happy,” he said, and he probably couldn't have said anything truer. Whatever happened in Yuri's home world, they still seemed like the same people they met when they last saw each other, unlike he and Ludger. Marta had already been kind enough to point out how much they'd changed.

If they could leave Revalia and see the other worlds someday, he thought it would be nice to see where Yuri and his friends came from. It seemed like a friendly place.

Over the constant loud hum of the crowd, he heard Ludger mumble something about being hungry, so Julius used his height to his advantage and looked above everyone to see what he could see. They weren't going to find any vendors who didn't have at least a fair line queued, so they were just going to have to pick a place that looked good and pray that they made the right choice. There were a number of places selling pastries and other desserts, but he figured that Ludger had something a little less sweet on his mind. Julius was feeling the same.

Once he let himself think about it, his hunger really hit him and made him feel even more eager to find somewhere to eat. These bodies weren't going to be able to keep going for much longer unless they found something to fuel them.

Revalia had tomatoes. He could remember that much, but he didn't see anything that looked like it would satisfy his insatiable lust for them. They ended up picking at random, unable to decide, selecting a place that looked like it served a variety of different things. Being Awoken Ones, they could get whatever they wanted for free, but they tried to be reasonable and not let their stomachs decide for them once it was their turn to place their order. Julius felt like he could cry when he found out that they served pasta, and Ludger didn't judge him when he ordered the largest serving they'd allow. For simplicity sake, Ludger ordered the same.

The wait for their order to be completed felt even longer than the wait in line, if only because of the now-incessant growling of their stomachs. The call that their order was ready sounded like the trumpets of Heaven, and the kind Lufres who handed them their food looked like nothing less than an angel to them in their awfully hungry state.

Like everyone else, they kept walking as they ate, checking out the sights around the village. The food was good, but it was very different from Ludger's cooking. Still, there was something special about a moment like this; walking together, enjoying the same food, experiencing the same bright and welcoming atmosphere. It reminded him of when they would go to local events in Trigleph together, but there was something about this that felt a lot more intimate. They were older now, so that was probably a part of it. It felt sort of like...

“Is this a date?” Ludger asked casually, twirling his pasta around his fork.

“Are you able to read my mind now?”

Ludger raised a wary eyebrow in his direction and slowly lifted his forkful of pasta to his mouth.

“Look, you can't blame me for thinking something strange when _everything_ is strange right now.” Julius played with what was left of his food with his fork. They hadn't received any stares the whole night, even while they held hands, so he didn't feel like he had anything to worry about, but he wasn't exactly used to sharing his feelings like this. Ludger knew how he felt about him – the feeling was made clear to be mutual a long time ago – but he'd spent so long trying to put just enough distance between them to keep things from reaching that fatal point of no return. A lot of good that had done in the end. “I guess you know what I was thinking about, in any case,” he said quietly, barely loud enough to be heard over the people who passed them on either side.

Finishing the last of his food, Ludger gave himself a little more time to think before he decided what to say. “I don't mind,” he said matter-of-factly. “You act like you think I mind somehow, but I don't. I know we were just invited here, so it's not like we planned it, but if you want to consider it a date, I'm not going to stop you. You thought it too, right? It feels like one, so...”

The thing was, Ludger was still his baby brother. Part of him still wanted to treat him like his younger sibling and probably would, but it was something more than that, too. They were related, so they knew each other better than anyone else. To say that they were 'dating' didn't quite feel right because they didn't need a period like that. It wasn't necessary. Their relationship wasn't strange because of its structure. It was strange because they had completely skipped that 'dating' period by living through it, calling themselves 'brothers' rather than 'lovers'.

Before they even realized it, they had become this. There was no fighting it.

“Maybe you're right,” Ludger said, staring deep into his eyes with understanding. “Maybe I _can_ read your mind.”

The night continued on, and even though it must have been the middle of the night, the festival showed no sign of stopping. Having been summoned from a slumber deeper than sleep, he and Ludger weren't feeling tired at all yet. They tried a few more games but donated any other prizes they won to the impressed Lufres children who stood around to watch them. The only prize Ludger seemed interested in keeping was the Rollo look-alike plush that Julius had won for him which he kept tucked under his arm the entire night. Following the direction of the townspeople, they made it back to the tree at the center of town and found a troupe of young Lufres who appeared to be about Terun's age setting up for a performance.

With a few spare minutes on their hands before the performance was set to begin, they went to get some refreshments from a nearby stall. Taking a glance at the drink menu, Julius recognized the drinks that Yuri and Flynn had earlier and felt curious to try it for himself. The things they were serving might've had alcohol in them, but he didn't want to embarrass himself by asking what they were. He'd rather order something and appear confident in his choice. Ludger was already old enough to drink back home, so it wouldn't be a problem for either of them ...as long as their drinks weren't too strong. Yuri and Flynn looked like they were able to handle it, but he also suspected that they were the types who were used to 'celebrating'.

“You can get one of those blue ones with the fruit, if you'd like,” he said, gently teasing Ludger.

Ludger stubbornly insisted that he have what he was having, so they both got the same thing; that radiantly-colored drink in the tall, thin glass with the cherry in the bottom. As soon as Ludger was given his, he brought it up to give it a tentative sniff before taking a sip of it.

It was alright, Julius thought. In fact, it was alright and seemed to be getting better the longer the flavor lingered on his tongue. It was definitely alcoholic, but it didn't taste strong. It had a prominent fruit flavor that was simply accompanied by the light burn at the back of his tongue that told him that it wasn't a wholly innocent drink.

“Do you like it?” he asked. He couldn't remember the last time he and Ludger shared a drink, but he was sure that he'd remember this time. This night was something special.

Taking a bigger sip, Ludger let it rest on his tongue before he swallowed, and Julius found his eyes drawn to the way his throat moved. Ludger brushed his hair out of his eyes and looked at him with his eyelids half-lowered. “It's good. I'm surprised. I think it's already making me feel kind of warm.”

Were these drinks stronger than he thought?

He took another look at the menu, but it didn't say what was in it. The menu just referred to it as the 'Special'. Unable to stop himself, Julius took another drink of it as he waved at the vendor to get his attention. Confidence be damned, he was already feeling lightheaded from the thing. If it weren't fit for human consumption, then he wanted to know before he uncontrollably drank the whole thing.

“Hm? You don't know?” The vendor gave him a look that was partially amused, mostly worried. “Hey, hey, you know what kind of festival this is, don't you?”

Come to think of it... No one had told them what this festival was celebrating. They just assumed that it was being thrown as thanks to the Awoken Ones.

So the stand's vendor filled them in.

This was the Fertility Festival. Also known as the 'Mating Festival'.

Naturally, they looked at him like he'd grown a second head and he looked at them like they'd... Like...

“B-brother... Your head...” Ludger pointed at him, a rather concerning look on his face.

Already worried enough that he might've consumed something toxic, Julius patted his shoulder. Thankfully, he hadn't sprouted another head, but Ludger was still looking at him strangely, and- Now that he gave Ludger another look, he understood why he was looking at him that way. It could've just been the drink making him see things, so he reached out to be sure and rested his hand on the top of Ludger's head. He patted him on the head earlier, so he knew he wasn't mistaken. These things hadn't been there before. These...

“Are these cat ears?” he asked, feeling like he was going crazy. They were warm and soft, like they were a real part of his brother's body.

Ludger's expression crumbled into something he'd never seen before, something helpless and undeniably erotic. Uttering a quick apology, Julius withdrew his hand and took a step back – only to yell out loud when he stepped on something, a bolt of severe pain shooting up from the base of his spine. Turning around to search for what he'd stepped on, he turned in circles before he realized that he was chasing his own tail.

He had a tail.

And, just like Ludger, he had a pair of ears on top of his head. They looked like the sort that the Lufres had; difficult to separate them from ears or oddly-shaped hair. Now that he could touch them for himself, he was sure that they weren't just hair. Heck, he could even move them if he concentrated on them.

“What the hell is in this?” Julius asked, slamming his glass on the counter. The cherry in the bottom bobbed.

When had he finished the drink...?

The vendor waved his hands around in front of himself, acting just as clueless as they felt. He explained that it was a drink that helped the Lufres get in the mood for the festival, and his insinuation didn't go unnoticed. That was all it was supposed to do, though. He didn't have an explanation for why it had given them these unusual side-effects. Trapped in this odd predicament, Julius looked around frantically, futily searching for Nahato. If anyone would know what was happening to them, he had the feeling that it would be Nahato, but they hadn't seen him since he left them at the inn. Now that they knew what this festival was for, he had little doubt about where he and Terun had gone, or, rather, what they were doing.

A hand curled in the sleeve of his yukata and gave a tug, and Julius looked down to find Ludger looking up at him with a look that didn't feel appropriate in public. He was shivering slightly, his other arm wrapped around his middle, his long, white tail sticking close to his body beneath the folds of his yukata. “I-I feel weird, brother,” he said, and something hot and animalistic burned inside of Julius at the sound of his weak voice.

The vendor helpfully suggested that he 'take care' of him. This mess wasn't the vendor's fault, but Julius couldn't stop the growl that escaped his clenched teeth.

Until that point, no one had spared them a second glance. He and Ludger were able to walk around like normal people, but now it felt like all eyes were on them. Specifically, all Lufres eyes were on them, noticeably following Ludger, leering with clear intent. Julius pulled him closer to him, a little closer than what was probably necessary, as they made their way back to the inn. 

They weren't that far, but they got stopped by someone who recognized them and Julius had to struggle to find the most polite way to get himself out of a conversation with them. He didn't want to use Ludger as an excuse, but when they took one look at his red face and noticed how roughly he was breathing, they urged him to take care of him. They weren't Lufres, so they had no idea what was really wrong with Ludger. It was absurd, but Julius had the horrible feeling that he knew what was going on now.

He was familiar with cats.

His heart was pounding wildly. Being this close, he could swear that he could smell him; a sweet scent that clouded his head. It was a bizarre feeling that consumed his senses, and, as crazy as it sounded, there was only one thing that could explain it.

Once they were in their room, Julius locked the door behind them. If what he suspected was correct, then they weren't going to want any unexpected visitors.

He had to... take care of him.

They were alone now, but Ludger was still clinging to his side. His face was hidden, but Julius could feel his breath against his neck, warm and quick. Inside, he knew that there was likely only one way for them to fix this without Nahato's help, but it didn't feel right. He and Ludger had just been reunited. For their first night together to end up like this...

It wasn't that far from one of the possible outcomes he'd considered, but he hadn't thought it would be anything like this. His body was burning to touch him, but his conscience was still vehemently reminding him that he had to be Ludger's responsible brother. Helping him in this situation felt too much like giving in to his own terrible desire, even if Ludger consented to it.

“Ludger...” He didn't know what he was supposed to do anymore.

“I... I think I get it.” Ludger gave a short laugh that sounded all too sarcastic at the moment. “I get why we're like this.”

If he figured something out, then Julius really wanted to hear it. “This is... heat, isn't it? Like cats? I guess that the Lufres people really aren't that dissimilar from the cats we're familiar with.”

Pressed against his side, Julius could feel Ludger through the thin layers between them; hard and ready. He moved against him lazily, like he was doing it unconsciously. “That's probably true, but what I mean is that I think I understand why we have these ears now. That drink has to be what made us feel this way, but I think we might have already been on our way to this transformation. We died, didn't we? We left our world... and our bodies. So, what if spending time in this world has turned us into... Like, official residents of it?”

That was a lot to swallow so suddenly.

“...We're Lufres now?”

Ludger nodded, confident in his conclusion.

“You think the ears are permanent?”

“It's better than remaining wandering spirits, isn't it? I don't want to be reincarnated.”

Right. He almost forgot about that. Having successfully completed Origin's Trial, the miasma from Canaan must have disappeared, the fractured dimensions would've been destroyed, and the proper cycle of life and death would have resumed with the soul purification process. They had just been reunited, so he didn't like the thought of reincarnation, either. The last time they were in Revalia, he had seriously considered staying there because he had the feeling there was something he didn't want to face back home, but that wasn't in his way any longer. They could really stay here now if they wanted.

The ears might've just been Revalia's way of accepting them.

He shifted uncomfortably, his body inconveniently reminding him of this stupid heat. Wincing, he clicked his tongue. “I guess there's no helping it. I'm willing to put up with something like this if it means we can be together again.”

Ludger just smiled. Lifting himself up onto his toes, he braced himself on Julius's shoulder and came close enough to speak into his ear. “Of course. I know how you really feel now. I know what's inside you, brother. The world you wanted to create isn't the same as mine, but it's the one I'm meant to live in. Any place where we can be together is where I belong.” He kissed the corner of his mouth, giving his lips a light flick with his tongue. He wasn't quite himself anymore, his self-control loosened by the drink. “You don't have to hide how you feel. I already know. I know, so...”

He was pleading to him with his eyes, not so affected that he didn't feel embarrassed to admit what it was he wanted. His hands were traveling Julius's body, burning the skin beneath his clothing. As Ludger's hand slid down his front, timidly brushing over his awoken arousal, Julius finally felt the last, loose threads of his resolve snap. Something within him took control of him, making him grab Ludger and pull him with him, forcing him back toward the bed. Ludger went willingly, his limbs relaxed and pliant beneath his hands. Ludger fell back onto the bed, his arms and legs splaying any which way they fell. One leg hitched over the other, Julius got a tempting glimpse of his brother's pale thigh as his yukata parted, and, beneath him, he saw Ludger's tail swishing lazily.

It made him curious. He wanted to push Ludger's yukata open the rest of the way and trace that tail back to where it originated. He wanted to touch it and see how it would make him react. Before, when he touched Ludger's new ears, he got a really unique reaction out of him. After stepping on his own tail and finding out how sensitive it was, he had the feeling that their tails were a particularly tender spot.

“How many times had you dreamt about me like this?” Ludger asked, curling his tail around one leg, using it to rub against his thigh. “I had so many dreams about you, brother... I tried, you know. I knew how bad it hurt you. I knew that you didn't want us to end up this way, so I really tried to look at other people, but... My eyes are only for you. Trying to keep myself from thinking about you felt like trying to deny a part of myself.”

“Ludger...” He had no idea.

Had it really been as difficult for him?

“I'm tired of holding back. Brother, I can't take it anymore.” It looked like he was trying to fight against the drink's effects, his hands clutching the front of his yukata, his expression somewhat pained, his new ears flattened against his head. “Maybe it's forcing me to say these things, but it's all true. It's probably for the best this way. Now we won't be able to hold back any longer, right? D-don't make me hold back anymore, please...”

This was it.

His heart felt like it was going to force its way out of his chest. “Ludger, is this... Is this your first time?”

Ludger rubbed at his eyes, hiding the frustrated tears that were trying to sneak up on him. The room was darkened, but his cheeks burned brightly in the warm lamplight. “I said it already, didn't I? I hated the thought of being with anyone else. You were the only one I wanted, and I hated the thought of you being with anyone else just as much.”

Julius smiled to himself, reaching out to lay a hand over the ones Ludger still had curled tightly in the front of his yukata, making him relax. As his older brother, it was embarrassing to admit it, but, “I felt the same way.”

With his eyes wide and damp, Ludger blinked. “You never...?”

He shook his head, feeling his face heating up. In the many dimensions he visited, he could've done it with any other Ludger, pretending to be their real brother, but it wouldn't have felt right. Giving in like that would've felt like he was betraying his Ludger somehow. It wouldn't have been the same. After destroying a dimension, he would've lost whatever he gained and been left with nothing but his own disgust at himself.

“Are you afraid?” Julius asked, resting on the bed, leaning over him to brush Ludger's hair away from his face.

Looking into his eyes with confidence, Ludger reached out and held his cheek. “You won't hurt me.”

Julius wanted to believe him, and... in a world like this... maybe there really wasn't any hurt in this anymore. Here, they could touch without the fear of judgment, without their relationship being defined by their relatedness. To the Lufres, they were saviors above anything else.

Before he went any further, Julius leaned over to the bedside to search for something. Strangely, though it seemed like Nahato had devised this situation, he hadn't left them with any of the necessities.

As if he knew what he was he were looking for, Ludger touched his arm. “It's fine,” he said, avoiding his eyes.

“It's not fine. I'm not going to hurt you, so-”

“It's fine,” Ludger repeated more adamantly. Spreading out his legs, he grabbed Julius's hand, and, before Julius could ask him what the hell he was doing, Ludger placed his hand on his inner thigh. To his utter confusion, it felt wet, slippery with something. Moving down the bed, putting himself between Ludger's legs, he pushed open his yukata. His eyes grew wide at what he saw beneath; his pink shorts dampened between his legs, a bit of it already wetting his thighs where his fingers had touched. He didn't understand it, but, considering the situation, he figured that he didn't need to understand it. “I said I felt weird before, didn't I?” Ludger mumbled, trying to close his legs to hide it.

Julius held them open, though, unusually mesmerized. The sight of his brother wet and hard for him was definitely arousing, but there was something else, too. The scent he noticed earlier was stronger now; a powerful fragrance that curled around him and infected his rational thoughts. He wanted to stay in control, knew that he needed to stay true to his promise to be careful with him, but he couldn't stop himself. Keeping Ludger's legs spread with a strong grip under his knees, he leaned in and rubbed his cheek against the front of his shorts, nuzzling the hard outline of his cock through the material. Distantly, he heard Ludger let out a surprised yelp, but he didn't ask him what he was doing. He didn't try to stop him. Julius could feel Ludger watching him instead, curious and excited.

Swallowing hard, he took a deep breath, letting Ludger's scent cling to his senses, allowing himself to be consumed by it. He didn't know what he was doing, but he let his body do as it wanted. Feeling himself act as if on autopilot, his mouth opened and his lips closed around Ludger's clothed arousal. The taste of him immediately went to his head, making him groan, his cock swelling harder. Frustrated, he paused for just long enough to slide his hands under his yukata to pull down his underwear, pushing them onto the floor. His hard cock rested heavily against his thigh as he immediately resumed where he left off, placing his mouth back over him.

“B-brother,” Ludger whimpered, reaching down to place a hand on his head. His hair wasn't long enough for Ludger to take hold in, so he felt him scratching his nails over the back of his head unconsciously as he continued to work his lips and tongue around him from the outside of his clothing. Occasionally, Ludger's nails scratched the backs of his ears and it felt a lot better than he had any reason to expect.

This was absolutely insane. He felt like a complete pervert, but Ludger's little noises of encouragement kept him from feeling like he was doing anything wrong. He was just following his body's directions. At the moment, it felt right to touch him, to taste him. He should've felt more ashamed, but Ludger was the same way. The farther they let themselves take this, the more they lost themselves to it. Pretty soon, there was going to be no going back.

Once even the front of Ludger's shorts were dampened from his mouth, Julius pulled back and slid his fingers beneath the waistband. For a moment, he hesitated, a part of him still conscious enough of what he was doing to think first before continuing. But what else was he supposed to do now? This wasn't the time for him to have second thoughts. If he backed out now, he didn't know when he would have an opportunity like this again, where he could use the heat of the moment as an excuse to cover up the questionable morality of his actions.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself, but his heart continued to pound rapidly and his head still felt clouded. Still, it gave him the nerve necessary to pull off Ludger's underwear. He didn't let his eyes roam until he had them all the way off, dropping them onto the floor where he left his own. Once they were off, he tugged on the ties around his waist until they came loose, and he pushed open his yukata to reveal Ludger's precious, bare skin. Julius's whole body felt like it was on fire. It wasn't the first time he'd seen him naked. They lived together and were comfortable around each other, and heaven knows he'd bathed with him when they were younger, but this... This was a totally different situation altogether. Right now, Ludger's skin was there for him to touch. He didn't have to politely avert his eyes.

“You're just beautiful,” he told him, finally placing a hand against Ludger's chest. Ludger made a little noise and squirmed, wiggling his hips for attention. Soon enough... “I'm glad you waited. I'm happy that I'm the first one to touch you like this, Ludger. This is really an honor for me. I hope you realize that. This is far more than I deserve.”

Ludger's ears twitched a little, giving away how happy Julius's words made him. “I'm nervous, but I feel comfortable at the same time – because it's you.”

He felt ready to burst, but he wanted to make sure that Ludger was going to be comfortable. So, first, he got back between his legs and held Ludger's cock loosely in his hand, guiding it to his mouth. His lips widened into a grin around him as he felt Ludger push into his mouth. Ludger apologized, but he didn't need to. Julius had no idea what he was doing, having never done this before, but he understood the general idea. There was already precum dripping from the tip of Ludger's cock before he even put him in his mouth, some of it drizzled across his lower belly, but even more leaked out as Julius dragged his tongue over the head. It was hard to get over how unusually his body was reacting, Ludger's precum tasting sweet to him, making him hunger for even more of it. He swallowed his brother's cock like he was trying to devour him, wrapping his lips firmly around the length of it, sucking like he could draw more of it right out of him.

Ludger had long since stopped trying to thrust into his mouth, his body relaxed and submissive, happy to receive whatever Julius wanted to bestow upon him. That was precisely how Julius wanted to see him. He may not have known what he was doing, but seeing him like that made him finally feel like he was in control. Even if he didn't have control over himself anymore, he had Ludger wrapped around his finger.

The fingers in his hair slowly relaxed and slipped away, splaying in the bed sheets on either side of him. Noticing how much he'd relaxed, Julius finally moved a hand between Ludger's legs. Lightly, with the tips of his fingers, he brushed over his wet entrance, letting him known what he planned to do before he continued. He hummed around Ludger's cock, looking up at him, and Ludger looked down at him with a dazed, erotic face, like he was just waiting for him to do it.

With that as his permission, Julius lightly pressed the first finger against his entrance and was surprised when it slipped in without any resistance. He pulled up for a bit, giving himself time to breathe as he experimentally added another finger to the first. As he expected, it slipped right in without any trouble. That had to be a result of the heat, making Ludger's body receptive to his touch, allowing him to enter him easily. If he wanted, he probably could have taken him already without any preparation.

The moment the thought entered his brain, his heart slammed against his ribs, overwhelmed by the power of his own desire for him. He wanted him badly. He wanted to spread his brother's legs wide and fuck him hard and raw and get him pr-

“Ludger,” he muttered hastily, feeling his head spin at the absurd thought he'd just had. “Ludger, do you think it's possible... If this is truly 'heat' like what cats experience, then...”

Ludger giggled, amused, obviously having thought the same at some point. “What? Are you afraid that I'm going to have your kittens if we do it?” He laughed out loud this time. “Brother, I'm a boy. I don't think anything's going to happen.”

Really? Was it that simple? Ludger was the one who was dripping wet like this. Meanwhile, Julius's own body wasn't reacting that way. By all appearances, Ludger still looked like a boy, but there was no telling if something hadn't changed inside of him, and they didn't know what 'mating' was like for the Lufres.

“We have ears and tails now, Ludger. I think I have room for reasonable doubt here.”

“It's fine, isn't it?” Ludger said, swishing his tail. “What are you so afraid of? You wouldn't want to have a cute little litter with your cute little brother?”

That shouldn't have stoked the flames of Julius's arousal, but damned if it didn't. Still, “Now isn't the time for jokes. You need to be serious about this.”

Ludger's face fell suddenly. “Who said I'm joking?”

They weren't thinking clearly. Ludger didn't know what he was saying, but Julius was finding it harder and harder to disagree with him. The thought of his brother round and heavy with a couple precious Lufres children – _their_ children – shouldn't have excited him, but his blood was searing with an unfamiliar, overpowering need.

“That's fine. We can find another way to do this. I don't have to put it inside-”

“Brother.” Julius looked up, captured by Ludger's unwavering gaze. “There's only one way to satisfy me. I think you realized that already too, right? This body won't be satisfied until I'm drenched in your cum.”

He couldn't believe that such lewd words had come from his brother's mouth, but he could see how serious Ludger was now. And he knew that he was right. There wasn't any particular reason why he knew, but his body knew, telling him what to do. It was crying out for Ludger's body despite the fact that he was his brother. The fact that his instincts were drawing them together so strongly felt like confirmation that this was alright.

“You want it too, don't you? You want to go wherever this leads us.”

The Ludger who was speaking didn't sound like his Ludger, but Julius knew that he was still the same. These were just the things he'd been keeping inside of him, the things he'd been too afraid to say before, too afraid to act upon. Hearing him speak so openly made Julius feel even more ashamed of himself. Even now, he was still hesitating, making his brother suffer because of his indecisiveness.

But no more.

“Is this really what you want, Ludger?” he asked, sitting up, making sure that Ludger was looking at him. “If this is what you want, then I'll take responsibility, no matter what happens. I won't run away anymore.”

Following his words, Ludger's serious face slowly softened until he was smiling at him with the gentlest, warmest smile Julius had ever seen.

Why did he keep hesitating, anyway? This was what Ludger wanted. They both wanted this, whatever happened. Things were different now.

Pushing himself up, Ludger gave him a quick and dirty kiss on the mouth and started helping him undo his yukata, mumbling something about how much he wanted to see. Julius felt a flush of embarrassment, thinking that Ludger meant that he wanted to see him naked, and his blush deepened when Ludger made an amazed comment about the size of his cock, but apparently that hadn't been what Ludger was after. Taking off his own yukata as well, Ludger put them on the floor next to the rest of their clothing, then circled him on the bed. Julius followed him with his eyes and let out a startled sound when one of Ludger's hands closed the base of his tail, giving it a little yank.

He laughed. “Sorry, brother. It's cute.”

Twisting around as far as he could without hurting his back, he looked toward his lower back and found the new appendage that sprouted from the base of his spine, right above the cleft of his ass. He didn't want to admit it, but he thought it looked... kind of nice on him. He was pretty well-muscled and his tail was just the right thickness. It even shared his hair color, so, though he hadn't seen himself in a mirror yet, he was sure that his new ears had to match well with his hair.

“Now then...” Ludger laid back down on the bed, resting his head comfortably on the pillow behind him and lifted his knees back, spreading himself. Having waited this long, the wetness from inside of him had dripped all the way down his thighs when he got up. Julius didn't want a single bit of it to go to waste now.

Though he didn't want to keep Ludger waiting, he couldn't resist it. Getting on his hands and knees between his widely spread legs, he moved in before Ludger could ask what he was doing and dragged his tongue quickly up the underside of his thigh. Doing something like this, he was sure that he'd lost his mind, but he'd promised that he wasn't going to run away from what he wanted anymore. That included licking his brother's thighs, didn't it? Besides, the taste of him seemed to be erasing whatever remaining hang-ups he had about the situation.

“Brother...” Ludger shivered, his thighs trembling as Julius worked his way inward, lapping at the tender junction between his hip and upper thigh. The more he dragged his tongue over Ludger's skin, cleaning up the sweet, sticky fluid, the more he felt like a cat who was simply grooming another. Without even noticing, his tail had started thumping against the bed, his ears pointed up, relaxed. His cock was still hard and more than ready, but he enjoyed what he was doing a little too much. Keeping his hands on Ludger's legs to make sure he didn't close them, he moved lower and ran his tongue over his entrance. As he thought, Ludger tried to shift away from him, but he held him in place as he worked his tongue between the sweet ring, thrusting it into him as deeply as he could. He wasn't very skilled with his tongue yet, so everything probably felt sloppy, but he could hear Ludger crying out in anything but protest. After Julius started sucking on the surrounding skin, he stopped trying to resist, lifting his hips to try to give him better access.

When he finally pulled back, Ludger was shuddering, his eyes hazy, his cheek pressed into the pillow, his skin damp with sweat and... whatever else.

Sitting up, Julius wiped at his mouth. At first, he idly stared at the mess on his fingers, but something compelled him to put them in his mouth, sucking Ludger's juice off himself as Ludger watched him from the corners of his eyes. After teasing him for that long, Ludger looked like he was ready to burst, the head of his cock red, precum pooling in the dip of his stomach. Julius wasn't fairing much better, either.

Instead of reaching out for him, Ludger found Julius's tail with his own and twined them together, giving his a light tug to silently ask him to come closer, to finally give him what he'd been waiting for. His desire had only been mounting that entire time. With the way he looked, his face flushed, pink from his cheeks to his chest, it was impressive that he hadn't come already from the constant stimulation.

“How should we do this?” Julius asked, stroking his hands up Ludger's sides.

Now that he was close enough, Ludger grabbed his arms and pulled him against him, pressing their chests together. “Just like this,” he whispered hotly against his ear. “Hold me.”

After having his tongue and fingers inside him, he knew that Ludger wasn't going to need any further preparation. Holding himself in his hand, Julius took a breath. Part of him still felt like he should be asking the Great Spirits to forgive him for what he was about to do, but they got pretty fucked over by some Great Spirits, so he figured that he would spare himself from worrying about it.

He pushed inside without another thought.

As soon as he was inside him, he had to pause, clenching his jaw as a pleasure like nothing he'd ever felt before shot up through his hips. A warm feeling pooled in his lower belly, tingling and spreading throughout the rest of his body. It felt incredible, and, by the look of it, Ludger felt the same way. He knew that he was fairly big, but Ludger was taking it in stride, relaxed just enough around him to make his entry easy. As he let himself adjust, he felt Ludger twitching around him, tightening up slightly, like his body was already trying to make Julius come.

“This is crazy,” Julius mumbled. The whole situation was crazy, but he was actually talking about how insanely good it felt. He couldn't recall a time when he'd ever felt this good... And he hadn't even started moving yet. He worried what was going to happen when he finally decided to get started, fearing that things would be over before they could even have a chance to begin.

Ludger breathed his name and writhed against him. His hips rocked slightly, and every one of Julius's nerves burned with the strong desire to _move_.

“Ludger... Ludger, is it okay if I...”

He nodded, pressing his face into Julius's shoulder. “Anything, brother. I'm... I'm yours. You can do whatever you want.”

_I'm yours._

Truly, he had died and gone to heaven. Those words... He hadn't had to beg to hear them. They made his breath get caught in his throat, and when he was finally able to breathe again, he asked, softly, “Can you say that again, Ludger?”

Beautifully, Ludger smiled and tilted his chin up to give him a kiss. “I'm yours. I've always been yours, brother. I'll always be yours.”

Without those drinks, he wasn't sure Ludger's lips would've been so loose, but Julius had no doubt that these were his real feelings. He could see it plainly in Ludger's eyes which shone with adoration for him. It was a familiar look; one he remembered seeing nearly every day. It wasn't that he'd never realized the way Ludger felt about him – he was just too afraid to accept it. But here, finally, _finally_ he could return his loving gaze and say with confidence,

“I'm yours, too.”

Biting back a quiet, tearful gasp, Ludger looked at him with eyes that were brimming with happy tears. “I'm so glad.”

With his arms wrapped around him, holding them together tightly, slick skin against slick skin, Julius began to move. At once, the feeling of Ludger's warm, wet walls clenched around him made him feel like he was going to lose it, but he forced himself to hold back. There was something inside of him now – a strong, beastly urge to pound him hard and fill his little brother with his cum – but... He didn't want things to be over that quickly. This moment felt so special, he wished that it could last forever.

After just a few slow, deep thrusts, he already had Ludger panting and gasping openly, his head rolled back in the pillow. Eying the tender, glistening skin of his throat, Julius licked his lips. Instinctively, he placed his mouth against the side of Ludger's neck and sucked hard until he was sure that he'd leave a sweet purple bruise behind. Ludger was his now without question, and he wanted to mark him to make sure that no one else tried to touch him. Remembering the way that the Lufres looked at him as they left the festival, Julius felt a selfish protectiveness rise up in his chest; a determination to dominate and confine his brother.

His body moved on its own, his hips thrusting hard, driving his cock into him as deeply as it could reach. Ludger arched with a soundless cry, his toes curling. His fingers clawed at Julius's back, leaving little stinging marks behind; badges that Julius was ready to wear proudly for him. With each renewed thrust, he felt his ecstasy building. He'd tried to resist, but it wasn't going to be possible for him to hold on for much longer, especially when Ludger was making such a gorgeous, helpless face, like he was completely lost in the moment, drowning in pleasure. Each of Julius's thrusts went deep, striking him in a place that made Ludger cry out every time, the slipperiness inside of him guiding him effortlessly toward his target.

The room was filled with the lewd sounds of skin on skin, with Julius's rough breaths and Ludger's needy cries. Although the neighboring rooms could probably hear them, neither of them had the mind to care.

“F-feels so good,” Ludger whimpered, moving against him, hopelessly trying to meet Julius's movements. All he succeeded in doing was grinding against him which wasn't all that bad, either. “B-brother, I think I'm going to...”

Julius kissed him, moaning hungrily at the thought of him coming for him. “Go on. I'm... I'm close, too.” It was hard to think clearly, but he forced out the words, regardless of how crazy it sounded. “Is it okay if I come inside of you? I was serious before. We don't know what will happen.”

Blinking away the beads of sweat that clung to his lashes, Ludger looked at him with his gaze firm. “I told you, didn't I? I want this. I don't care what happens. My body is yours now, brother.”

It was a good thing he had his permission because Julius didn't think he would've even had the time to pull out. His cock jerked and he held Ludger more tightly, burying himself in him as he came. All it took was to hear Ludger say those words and he was coming harder than ever, leaving his mark on Ludger's deepest place. As he came, he felt him tightening around him, heard Ludger moan pitifully, felt the warmth of his cum spread between their bodies.

For some reason, as Julius let his hips continue to move, pounding through the remaining waves of his climax, there was one thought he couldn't get out of his mind.

_Get pregnant. Get pregnant. Get pregnant._

“Get pregnant...!”

He hadn't even realized that he'd said it out loud until he finally stopped moving and looked up to see Ludger staring at him, an amusing look on his face.

“Oh?” he teased, watching Julius flush red all over. He ran his tail over the back of his legs and flicked the sensitive base of Julius's tail with the tip of his. Slowly, a satisfied smile widened his lips. “I hope I will, too.”

“I...”

What – was he going to say that he hadn't meant it? Because, though he wanted to deny it, he knew that he'd be lying. Maybe this was what his filthy feelings for his brother had turned into. This was their epitome. He wanted to claim him in the most visceral way.

He slowly pulled out, his cock sensitive but still hard. Ludger whistled when he saw, but he wasn't looking any better, either. Julius's stomach was covered in Ludger's cum, and the smell of the air around them, thick with the heady scent of sex, made him feel dizzy and hungry for his body all over again. Without even thinking, not sure even for himself what he was planning, he grabbed Ludger by the arm and flipped him over, onto his stomach. A short, confused sound was all that made it from Ludger's lips, but he shut up the second he felt Julius sink into him from behind.

Julius dragged his hips up to meet his first full thrust. It was like the heat was commanding him to keep going. He came a lot the first time, but he felt like he had to come inside of him again... Just in case.

“I-I just came, you know,” Ludger whined, his white tail flicking around awkwardly in front of Julius. Having his shoulders pressing into the bed didn't look very comfortable, but he wrapped his arms around the pillow and tilted his head to try to look back at him. “If you keep going... I don't know. I might go crazy. I thought I'd feel better, but I'm still hot.”

Then Julius just had to take care of him. That was his job, after all. “Leave it to big brother,” he said.

He gave a hard thrust that earned him a surprised, pleased cry from Ludger. Though the position didn't look like it would be the most comfortable for Ludger, it seemed like it made it easier for him to hit that spot inside of him. As he kept going, it became easier for Julius to focus on pleasing him, but he also started to realize that his head was clearing and his conscience was returning to him, making him severely question the morality of what he was doing.

It didn't matter, he told himself.

Ludger already told him that this was fine, and he agreed. He was... They were...

There was no guarantee that Ludger could become pregnant like this. It was just an irrational thought.

It sounded like an irrational thought... But, as he kept going, he found that he still wanted it to be true. It might've been a vestige of the heat that made him feel that way, but he couldn't shake it. The thought of starting a brand new family with Ludger was too alluring. Someone like him probably didn't deserve such happiness, but he wanted it, and he couldn't help that.

“Ludger.” Resting a palm on his brother's back, stroking gently, he started to work his hips at an even pace. Now that he came once, he could take his time despite how sensitive he felt. He wanted Ludger to feel this as much as possible, and, by the pleasant noises he was making, it sounded like it was working. He said his name again and waited for Ludger to look back at him. When their eyes met, he gave him a lopsided smile, his glasses sliding down his nose. “I love you, Ludger. Truly. I love you.”

He looked tired, staring at him like he thought he hadn't heard him correctly, but, as his surprise faded, it was replaced with an expression of pure adoration. “I love you, too.” Taking one arm out from under the pillow, he reached back to join his hand with Julius's, linking their fingers together over his hip. “There's no one I trust more than you. I... I knew that you loved me too, but it feels so good to hear you say it. I was a little afraid, you know? I was worried that we'd never be together like this – that you'd never allow it.”

Julius hushed him and stroked the back of his hand with his thumb. “I told you, didn't I? I'm going to take responsibility from now on. I'm the one who raised you. I can't help feeling like your feelings are my fault somehow...” It could've just as easily been their family's curse. Their mothers were sisters, their father's distant cousins. Their whole family was this way. Maybe it was fitting that the Kresniks end the same way, by embracing their depravity.

It felt... liberating.

Ludger's smile turned curious. “You made me this way? ...Then, thank you.”

There was no reason for him to thank him. That was what Julius would've thought. Before. Back when things were different, when he had to feel sick for sparing his brother a single indecent thought. He would've told him to take it back, but now he felt sort of proud, glad that he'd somehow stolen his heart despite his best efforts to prevent that from happening. His failure meant that they could be together now.

Slipping his hand away from Ludger's, he moved both of his hands over his back, listening to the sounds he made as he touched his sides. Moving to the center of his back, he spread his hands out, massaging, then held his shoulders and pressed him into the sheets, groaning as Ludger's back arched higher, his hips rising in response to being held down. It was slower this time without the same sense of urgency, though the heat's embers still burned within them. As they kept going, the sounds Ludger made kept growing louder and needier.

“Do you like the thought of someone hearing us?” Julius laughed. Feeling like it was his job to be the responsible one, he felt like he needed to tell him to be quiet, but he'd never heard Ludger like this before. He leaned over him, keeping his hands planted on the back of Ludger's shoulders as he slowly pulled his hips back, slowly pushed back inside, nudging the head of his cock against the most tender parts of his inner walls.

A tremor shook Ludger's back, making his tail go stiff for a second, and he keened high from the back of his throat. Squeezing his eyes closed, his ears flattened against his head again as he tried to hold back his second orgasm. “It's...” That was all. It was like he totally forgot that he was even going to say something when he tried to focus on keeping himself together.

But Julius was still curious. “Hm? What's that?” He removed his hands from Ludger's shoulders and took him by the hips instead, sinking his fingers into his soft skin. “Do you like it so much that you can't speak?”

Ludger nodded, wrapping his arms around the pillow again, pulling it against him, pressing his face into it to try to muffle another high-pitched sound. When he found his voice, he lifted his head just enough to talk. “It's cuz you're doing it so slowly. I-I feel _everything._ ”

“Everything, hm?” ...Now that he mentioned that, a wicked thought entered Julius's head. If Ludger thought that was 'everything', then he was sorely mistaken. Without a word, he slid a hand from Ludger's hip to his lower belly where he let his fingers dance across his ticklish skin before he wrapped his hand firmly around his cock. “I didn't touch you at all last time, but you still came. This heat must be pretty impressive.”

“It's cuz we were so close... W-we were rubbing together,” he mumbled, hiding his flaming cheeks in the pillow. “And... And the thought of you filling me up is... It's really something.”

The thought of impregnating him was really quite 'something' indeed. He hardly needed to be reminded, but hearing it from his brother's lips again made that wild part of his brain roar.

“If that's what you like, then I'm going to really fill you up this time. I'll give you everything I have left. I'll make sure you have my child. I hope you're ready, Ludger.”

Ludger let out a hysterical laugh, like he found what he said absurd but also so absurdly hot that he wasn't sure who he was laughing at. Julius tightened his fist around him and started stroking him the way he liked it, hoping that it would suit Ludger just as well. Judging by the way he was wiggling his hips and shivering, he was still feeling hypersensitive, so any little touch must have felt like it was ten thousand times as intense as it would have normally been. It wasn't going to be much longer for him, and Julius wasn't going to be that much farther behind, but he wanted Ludger to come first. He wanted to feel him tightening around him again. He wanted to feel him and know that _he_ was the one who made him feel this way. _He_ was the one responsible for how good his brother felt.

_His._

There was no escaping that selfish, possessive word now, not in the slightest.

Ludger's cock was wet with his cum and other fluids, letting Julius's palm glide smoothly over his cock. Each pass of his tightly-closed fist over the head of his cock must have felt like heaven to him. As Ludger drew nearer to his climax, he started mumbling all sorts of things, but, amid the nonsense, Julius heard his name, and the word _yours_ repeating over and over like a mantra.

Control lost, he thrust into him with abandon, slamming into him with a single purpose in mind. When he heard Ludger yell out, felt his insides squeeze him tightly, he let out his own bark of relief and came inside of him at the same time, thrusting deeply to make sure that he received every bit of his cum.

He stayed stock-still until he was sure that the last wave had passed, then slowly pulled out, his jaw clenching on its own as the way-too-sensitive head of his cock rubbed against him inside. Sitting back, he looked at his hand, covered in his brother's cum, and his cock, still dripping in all kinds of who-knew-what. He should've felt repulsed, disgusted at himself or the both of them, but that strange urge to lick his hand remained. Rather than give in to it this time, he got up from the bed and found the box of tissues. As he made his way back to Ludger's side with weak legs, he almost tripped over his own tail, forgetting that it even existed.

The fact that it _existed_ was...

“That was wild,” Ludger said, leafing a few tissues from the proffered box. That about summed up his thoughts as well, so Julius nodded and sat down beside him, helping Ludger lay on his back. He didn't want him to sit up just yet... His heart pounded as he thought about it, and he knew that it should've made him feel sick, but if there were a chance that Ludger might become pregnant with his child, then he didn't want him to move before the seeds could take root.

Ludger didn't question him. He laid on his back, placing his hands comfortably over his belly and sighed, his tail flicking here and there happily. “Brother's babies,” he giggled. “Imagine how cute they'll be.”

He sounded so certain, like he already knew.

Maybe he did know. Ludger did always seem to have a sixth sense for the strangest things.

There was a terrible worry that yet lurked at the back of Julius's mind, though, keeping him from enjoying the thought as much as Ludger. “We're related.”

“It'll be fine,” Ludger said, saying it with the sort of confidence that sounded hard to argue with, even though Julius should've had every right to feel uncertain. “Look, I know that it seems ridiculous. I'm mostly a realist, but I see the ears and the tails now, so I'm just preparing myself – getting ready to adapt if I have to adapt. Say that I really have your child, alright? Why worry? Our family tree was always sturdy.” He paused for a second and made a dismissive gesture in the air with one hand. “Okay, so a lot of them were crazy, but they were _strong_ , weren't they?”

“I'd rather pass on the crazy altogether,” Julius grumbled. He didn't like the thought of their theoretical child ending up with any of their family's worst traits. Heaven forbid they give birth to the next Bisley...

No. If he and Ludger raised the child together, there was no way that could happen. No child born from Ludger could end up that way.

Ludger's child would be perfect. Julius just didn't want to feel responsible if anything bad happened, because if anything bad _did_ happen, it would be his fault.

Gentle fingers graced the back of his hand and Julius looked down at him, caught off guard for a moment by the way the warm light lit up his face. This wasn't the time for him to worry about anything like that, especially when it wasn't certain. What was certain was that very moment; his brother's fingers on his hand, the smile he received, the feelings flooding his heart.

He sank onto the bed and curled himself against Ludger's side, wrapping an arm around Ludger's middle. Laughing softly, Ludger turned on his side and curled around him, hugging Julius's head to his chest.

Ludger stroked his hair and bound their tails once more, finding a way for them to unite when his hands were busy and unable to hold Julius's. After a pleasant moment of silence, Julius felt his voice, soft yet deep, rising as a gentle rumble in Ludger's chest, coming out as the sweet hum of a familiar song. Painful feelings and memories from the past arose at its notes to be shattered by their melody, and Julius held him closer as many kinds of tears fell down his cheeks.

It had a different meaning now. Together at last, the words he imagined didn't have to be those of longing. It was Ludger's song this time, and he filled it with so much love. Each note surely held a special meaning. Even without words, Julius could feel what he was trying to tell him.

By the time Ludger's song ended, Julius's tears had also stopped, and he was left feeling like someone else. Quite literally, he realized, smiling ruefully to himself, he had been reborn as a new person.

He wasn't going to make the same mistakes this time.

“I'm not ready to sleep just yet,” Ludger said, nuzzling the top of his head between his ears. “Would you like to go sit by the pond outside for a while?”

Smiling at him with tears clinging to his lashes, Julius nodded and swiped at his eyes. Those tears didn't have a place any more, but he would remember them as the proof of their love's strength. He hoped that Ludger could still see him as his strong big brother after all this. Just, it felt so good to cry in front of him, to show him the things he'd been trying to hold back for so long.

After cleaning themselves up a little more, they put their yukatas back on and went outside. There were still a few people sitting around, like Lloyd and Zelos who were looking far more tame and relaxed than they'd ever seen them. They found a comfortable spot to sit near the edge to watch the fish, and they quickly found themselves more distracted by the fishes' swiftly splashing fins than they'd ever been when they were entirely human, gripped with an odd urge to grab for them.

The only thing that was able to tear their eyes away from them was the sound of something bursting overhead. Looking up at the same time, they found flowers of brilliant colors blossoming in the sky, becoming one with the stars as their light scattered.

Ludger laughed. Without taking his eyes away from the fireworks, he sat closer. At his brother's silent request, Julius wrapped an arm around him and let him rest against his side as they watched them. Between bursts, they reminisced about the last time they saw fireworks back home. It'd been a long time ago, but Ludger proved that he remembered the moment just as well. They sat in the grass together in the same way. There had been distance between them that time, but, like that chapter of their lives, that distance was closed now.

Ludger lifted a hand, reaching toward the sky, and Julius knew without explanation that he was reaching for a place beyond what they could see. She was out there somewhere.

Until their new world was forged, this was where they'd be.


End file.
